Eat Well. Cook With Love. Make Your Belly Happy.

These Chocolate Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cranberries and Walnuts are rich, buttery and loaded with chocolate flavour. The tartness of the dried cranberries complement the dark chocolate perfectly and the walnuts add a touch of texture. The holiday baking continues!

Hello everyone! How was your weekend? We had another Christmas filled one! We had a party to go to Friday, which was lovely and then the rest of the weekend was spent baking, decorating and watching bad made-for-tv Christmas movies. But, seriously, what is up with those movies? They are so predictable, but once I start watching them, I can’t take my eyes off ’em! Are you the same way? Please say yes 😉

We finally finished decorating our tree, too🎄Do you guys have an artificial tree or real one? Growing up we always had a real tree and I just love the pine smell that comes from it. Hubby grew up with an artificial tree and when we got married the artificial tree won over. It’s not too bad, though, ’cause it’s pre-light and that is definitely a time saver👍! More time for baking cookies….hehehe😜

As I was unpacking the ornaments, I realized how many memories are contained in each and every one of them💓 I’m totally a traditional girl and while the more modern looking decorated trees are beautiful, I must rather prefer an old school tree. Each ornament has a story. As I was grabbing each, I was thinking ‘oh, that’s the time when….’, ya know? We have ones for when we moved into our new home years ago, when we had our first Christmas together as a married couple, ones from loved pets that have since passed and even ones from when we were children.

Funny thing…when you get ornaments like that, while they are special at the time, they truly mean that much more as the years pass and I love looking at our tree – so many happy memories and stories❤️

Food is like that too, don’t you think? Certain foods or meals are representative of a memory or special occasion. Last week I shared Shortbread Cookies with White Chocolate and Candy Cane. Every single year I make these cookies and only at Christmas. I decided to do a twist on this iconic cookie this year and go with a chocolate version. I got the idea of using dark chocolate from my friend Kevin from Kevin is Cooking. He had commented on my last post about seeing a dark chocolate version in his future and I thought that was a brilliant idea! Hence, Chocolate Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cranberries and Walnuts🍪

For these cookies, I subbed out some of the flour for cocoa powder and garnished them with a rich dark chocolate, tart dried cranberries and buttery walnuts. They tastes just as good as the original, but are totally different with the chocolate kick. It’s good to have cookie options, ya know 😏 ?

I’m sure with these Chocolate Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cranberries and Walnuts a new tradition has been born. I certainly hope you get a chance to try these too! You’re gonna love ’em!

These Chocolate Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cranberries and Walnuts are rich, buttery and loaded with chocolate flavour. The dried cranberries add the perfect tartness to the dark chocolate and the walnuts adds a touch of texture. The holiday baking continues!

In a mixer combine corn starch, icing sugar, flour, cocoa powder and salt. Add butter and blend until combined and dough is soft. Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes until dough is easier to handle.

Remove dough from refrigerator and shape into 1 inch balls. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and flatten with your hand, about 1/4 inch thick and they are about 1 inch apart.

Bake 18-20 minutes (I did 20 minutes) at 300F. Cool on wire rack. Once cooled, dip in dark chocolate and sprinkle with dried cranberries and walnuts (gently pressing into chocolate, if necessary).

Place on wax paper lined sheet pan and let chocolate harden completely. To speed cooling/hardening of chocolate, place in freezer for about 10 minutes. Remove and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

You can melt the dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, heating for about 30 seconds or so at a time, stirring and mixing and heating for another 30 seconds until just melted.

Light and sweet post, just like your delicate and yummy looking shortbread. I love the old fashioned shortbread but when I tried the chocolate version I was amazed. I know I’m going to bake a batch using your recipe soon 🙂Muna Kenny recently posted…Chicken Parmesan Recipe – Italian

Shortbread cookies are MY FAVORITE!!! And omg- I didn’t even know chocolate shortbread was a THING! I need these… preferably now. Who cares that it’s still breakfast time lolSarah @ Champagne Tastes recently posted…22 Recipes for Date Night at Home

That’s one of the things I love about decorating the Christmas tree too – unpacking all of the ornaments that you made as kid, ornaments friends and family got you over the years, ornaments you purchased at special places or during special times… they each seem to tell a story. Christmas cookies do the same thing – and I could definitely see these little beauties becoming part of a delicious tradition of Christmas cookies that get made throughout the years.Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom recently posted…Easy Orange-Maple Glazed Ham

I used to have a box of old-fashioned Christmas tree ornaments and when we re-modeled the house a few years back things got moved to our new attic and the box got munched under another heavier one. We have since skipped putting up a tree. Sad face. But about these cookies. Shortbread are one of my all-time favs as you know and chocolate makes it all better, right? Love that touch of dried fruit on there. Beautiful Dawn! Thanks for the shout out, too. Have a great weekend friend. 🙂Kevin | Keviniscooking recently posted…Roasted Pears with Almond Paste

Oh my gosh I love how you mentioned those types of movies! My mom and I always make fun of them because they all have the same title (especially on Hallmark). A husband for Christmas, A family for Christmas, A prince for Christmas… too funny! My mom is into Lifetime movies and I always get sucked into those too! They are just so bad but so entertaining!Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat recently posted…Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies

Looks like another lovely weekend Dawn! We’ve always had an artificial tree. I’m allergic to pine and trees and the great outdoors it seems lol. And yeah, some meals are just so full of memory and history, those are the best kinds 🙂 These cookies look so amazing! Love the addition of cranberries.

Aww, I love that the ornaments hold so many memories for you! Ours are that way too – we have some basics that we put up and then all the “special” ones – gifts, mile markers in our lives, ones our kids have made and a bag full of ones from when I was little. They do make the tree all the more magical looking and festive! And these cookies – I love how chocolatey they are and that they have all the fun toppings! YUM!! Hope you have another great weekend! XOKathryn @ Family Food on the Table recently posted…Overnight cheesy grits casserole

I love Christmas specials but the old school 70s ones. We have a real tree every year and we decorate it with clear lights, wooden red beads, and every ornament of ours has a story.
Girl, these cookies are the bomb! Chocolate shortbread is super tasty and loving the cranberries and walnuts in there too. I’ll have to leave off the walnuts for J but that’s means double nuts on my cookies!! WOOOOOHOOO! 🙂karrie @ Tasty Ever After recently posted…Lyonnaise Potatoes

Old school is the BEST!! I’m with you! Yay! Thanks girl! No walnuts for J? That’s one of the best parts, I think 😉 But, like you said, more for you….hehehe! Can never have too many nuts… or cookies 🙂 XOXO

It’s nice that you all have your Christmas tree standing already, there is more time to enjoy it this way. We only get it on Christmas Eve day or maybe a day before and it’s already gone on the 3rd or 4th of January. The cookies are lovely, I like using cranberries in baked goods, their sourness cuts so pleaseantly through the sweetness.Adina recently posted…Caramelized Walnut Cake

Years ago, growing up I remember we were a lot later putting up our tree, but these days it seems that a lot of people are putting it up earlier and earlier….some even in November, but that’s a little too early for me. I just love the ambiance it creates in the room with all the coloured lights. Thanks so much, Adina!! Have a great weekend 🙂

Sounds like a fun weekend to me! We had a real tree this year for the first time ever! The adventure of finding it in the forest and cutting it down in the snow, was absolutely nothing short of magical. And I’m like you, I LOVE getting our ornaments out every year and and all of the happy memories that each one represents. And yes, those Christmas movies have some kind of voodoo going on, because you KNOW they’re terrible, but it’s like you can’t help yourself, you have to watch them anyway! Things have been so crazy over here lately, I’ve really missed reading your posts, Dawn! So glad to hear that you’re having a great holiday season! Pinning! XOXOStephanie | The Foodie and The Fix recently posted…21 Day Fix Copycat Starbucks Chile Mocha

It really was! Super busy getting ready for the big day, but so fun and I really think that a big part of Christmas is the actual getting ready part, don’t you? Thanks so much for the lovely comment and Pin, Stephanie…really appreciate it! Hope you have a fabulous weekend, my friend! XO

Sounds like a fabulous weekend! I came down with my traditional before-Christmas-cold, so I spent the weekend on the couch with lots of hot drinks and vaguely holiday-themed television. It was actually pretty great. 😉

Mmmm. These cookies are all of my favorite things. I love the idea of chocolate shortbread, and adding dried cranberries just makes it perfect x2! Bet these show up on a lot of cookie trays this year. Pinning!Tracy | Baking Mischief recently posted…Gift Guide: 12 Nerdy Mugs

That unfortunate, but at least it forced you to relax, right 😉 ? Yay! Happy you like the cookies! Shortbread is one of my absolute favourites for sure. Thanks for the kind words and Pin, Tracy! Hope you are feeling better 🙂

I am totally right there with ya on the ornaments, Dawn! I’ve never thought about it, but Laura and I often talk about the unique ornaments as we pull them out of the box. And there’s always 1 or 2 that we’ve forgotten about, and it’s fun to find them again each year. We always do a real tree because of the smell + tradition, but then we have an artificial tree down in our basement. (That’s where we hang all of our childhood ornaments!) I’m loving these cookies, and I’m thinking a batch of these would be an excellent addition to the holiday cookie lineup. And the cranberries + walnuts on there is a perfect touch for the holidays! 🙂David @ Spiced recently posted…Bacon Cheddar Ranch Cheeseball

I’m with you on the Christmas movies and the traditional ornaments. Our tree is filled with ornaments from my youth all the way to today. We’ve collected from our trips and include every ornament our boys ever made. Makes it so special. Love traditional cookies at Christmas too. Shortbread is a must and even better with chocolate!Cathy | whatshouldimakefor.com recently posted…Cranberry Ginger Fizz Cocktail

I feel like I just need to get TWO trees (tell my husband that!) because I am so torn every year. I LOVE the look of a modern tree that’s all silver and white… But I also love all my fun ornaments. And you’re so right that it’s just like food… I only want our classic family traditions on Thanksgiving, but I also get really sad that I can’t introduce new fun dishes. I guess these are good problems to have??? Also, these cookies like perfect to me!! The good thing about cookies is that you can never have too many… which means there’s plenty of room for the classics and the new guys 🙂Sues recently posted…Chai Tea Pumpkin Breakfast Quinoa

Two trees sounds like a brilliant idea! Now you have me thinking that’s what I should do, lol 😀 I totally agree that you can never have too many cookies, especially since I sample them as I’m baking so I definitely have to make extra…hehehe! Thanks Sues!

Your weekend sounds like a blast! I actually got sucked into watching Home Alone 2 the other day and I’d forgotten how funny it is. Going the chocolate route with these cookies was a genius move, my friend! I love the cranberries and walnuts in here too!

Sounds like you had a wonderful, holly jolly weekend, Dawn! Our weekend was busy and productive, but none of it was spent on holiday stuff. Oops? Lol. Our tree is artificial, but we don’t have one up yet… and I’m thinking it might not make it up this year. I donno though, we will see. I’d just rather spend all my free time baking holiday cookies for my own consumption. 🙂 LOVE these!! Boy would absolutely devour these! He eats all the chocolate for me, so I’m thinking I will need to make a double batch of these! The cranberry and walnuts in here is perfect!! Cheers, dear!Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary recently posted…Holiday Hummus {Arugula & Roasted Garlic White Bean Hummus with Pomegranate}

Yes, we definitely did, Cheyanne! No tree up? Maybe you can put it up and even if you didn’t decorate it, but just had it lite? I just love the ambiance it creates! Perhaps you can make these for boy and the white chocolate version for you 😉 Thanks girlie!

We did real trees forever until the year with spiders (I whispered that), which I think I already told you about… Oh my! Then switched to artificial for ten years, and now this year – we took a leap of faith and went back to real! I just missed the pine smell in the house! So far, so good! So these cookies with chocolate? Are you kidding me? Divinity!! Pinned! Have a great day, my dear! XOannie@ciaochowbambina recently posted…Flavored Cream Cheese 3 Ways

We have two real trees Dawn. One big one and one smaller one. We always decorate the smaller one with ornaments that are beach inspired! It’s my favorite tree!
I can’t get enough shortbread during the holidays, so I’ll be adding this recipe to my cookie list for sure! I love the tart cranberries in this one!Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen recently posted…Olive Balls

Dawn, I love old school trees too – my daughter and I started a tradition a while ago of getting an ornament (and if we couldn’t find one, then a keychain) from every city/place we visited and so every year at Christmas we get to relive our adventures -in a way. I wouldn’t trade those old ornaments/clunky keychains for anything!
By the way – these cookies look so good! So loving the dark chocolate + cranberry + walnut combo!Shashi at RunninSrilankan recently posted…Slump Slaying Mocha Almond Bites

This is just Christmas in a cookie – perfect for chocolate addicts like me 😉 Can’t believe it but I am slowly getting ahead of my to do list. We have also managed to decorate our Christmas tree – we bought a real one but we used an artificial one before which is great as well! Christmas food and ornaments certainly bring back fond memories of past Christmas – I just love this time of year! Have a great week!Miriam – londonkitchendiaries.com recently posted…Herman ze German, Fitzrovia – London

Sounds like you had a great weekend, Dawn! I get sucked into those made-for-TV movies EVERY time. Most aren’t too bad, but I watched one last weekend that was horrible (not a Christmas one though), and afterwards, I was second guessing my sanity haha! 🙂 And hooray for finishing your tree! My husband and I both grew up with artificial trees, so it was a no-brainer for us to get one too. So much easier to put up and so fun to decorate! We got piled with snow this weekend (about 7-8 inches) so I’ve been baking up a storm. These cookies look SO good, friend! I can’t decide which of your shortbreads I like better! 🙂 I don’t think I’ve ever had a chocolate version before, so this is calling my name. I love the addition of cranberries and walnuts, just perfect for the season. Pinned, of course! Hope your week is off to a wonderful start!Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Blueberry Gingerbread Loaf

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

Recipe Rating

Yes, add me to your mailing list.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Hi you! Welcome! So happy you stopped by! Are ya hungry? Want something good to eat? I know I always do #StoryofMyLife

I truly believe that you should have fun in the kitchen – that’s what it’s all about, right? Make good food, have a laugh and just enjoy yourself… nothing complicated – real food shared with friends and family.